A MODEST ENTRY

 

modest house got a big upgrade... a new front door!!! i have been trying to decide for the last year or so on a front door replacement that will not be a step down from a gorgeous, solid wood, oak century door. the original door to the house was absolutely beautiful, but it was not holding up during the cold canadian winter. the wood was cracked & the bevelled glass windows didn't keep much heat in. we all know century homes can be quite chilly, but a 100 year old door certainly wasn't helping!

i knew with the new door, i wanted to bring in more light as the front entry is rather small & dark. i had my mind set on a 3/4 window wood door with a shaker base, but every door place i went to encouraged me to go with a fiber glass door that did not come in the exact design i wanted. i sat on the decision for months knowing i wouldn't be happy with anything other than the exact door i envisioned. then i came across a local company who specializes in custom wood doors & windows! i can't tell you how excited i was when the owner said he could make the exact door i wanted! we ended up going with a solid white oak door, stained ebony on the exterior & a custom walut stain for the interior.

the hardware set i preordered long before i made the decision on which door to choose as i knew there was no other handle set i wanted! it is the tumalo walnut knob exterior door set from rejuvenation in the oil rubbed bronze finish. it is so minimal & clean looking, with a vintage flair. it couldn't have been a more perfect fit for an equally minimal century farm house style door.

once the door was installed, justin & i (ok, mostly me) decided we wanted to give the entry a refresh for the new year. i even picked a new scent for the entry.."the lions" scented candle by hollow tree. the first thing people will smell when they walk through the door is alpine fir! hollow tree candles are made in canada & this scent reminds me of a snowy winter day in the mountains.

now onto the design! the first thing we added was a door bell. our house did not come with one, just an old (slightly creepy baby angel) door knocker. since the new door didn't have the space for a door knocker, a door bell was a must as i recieve a lot of shipments for work. while the house is full of charm & character, i love bringing in even more character. the mcneil long bell door chime from rejuvenation was perfect. it fit the arts & crafts era of the house & makes for a gorgeous focal point in the entry. it is like jewlery for the wall! just like the hardware set, i had pre ordered the doorbell as well because i wanted it the second it was available to ship!

next up was the entry light fixture. we previously installed a very simple light, as we didn't want to take away from the details of the stairs & door. however, once a much more simple door went it, i wanted something big & bold! if you couldn't tell by now i am a huge fan of cedar & moss, so it only made sense that i fell in love with the mixed globe 3-light mutipendant from rejuvenation. this light features two 8-inch globes & one larger 10-inch globe. i don't think i need to tell you how stunning it is, because you can see in the photos that it is beyond beautiful. i think this chandelier would work in both a tiny entry or a big entry, plus you get to pick the length when ordering to account for ceiling height! to pull from the main light fixture, i also chose the matching cedar & moss table lamp for the console table. i love how it ties the two modern fixtures together.

last but not least, we added some funky solid wood hooks in different shapes & colours. i stuck with walnut & ebony stained hooks to bring in the two tones used throughout the entry. the wooden ball hook & the nehalem single hook are full of character! while we use the entry closet for our own coats, the hooks are the perfect spot for guests to hang their jackets when they enter.

i am inlove with how this entry turned out! the door is what dreams are made of. i joke with justin that if we ever move the door is coming with us (& just about everything else), but we both know i am not joking. everything featured in the front entry is linked below. can't wait for you to see what else is in store for modest house this year!

xo